3 Storylines To Watch In Saints Vs Cardinals Week 1 Game

The New Orleans Saints lost their quarterback, Derek Carr, to retirement this offseason. New Orleans found Kellen Moore to be its new head coach, and Moore was tasked with figuring out the quarterback situation.

While the quarterback battle was long and drawn out, Coach Moore opted to roll forward with Spencer Rattler as the team's QB1.

But there are a lot more storylines with the Saints than just their quarterback decision. What are the top storylines to watch in the Saints' Week 1 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals?

Who's the second option on offense?

The Saints have Chris Olave as the top wide receiver on the roster, but they don't have much else after him. Alvin Kamara will work plenty in the passing game, but he's a running back at the end of the day. Rashid Shaheed is a solid deep threat and will likely be the second wide receiver, but the Saints could turn to somebody else as the second option.

With a young quarterback under center, his weapons are going to be very key pieces to watch. It's important to figure out who Rattler trusts early in the year.

Was Spencer Rattler the right choice for QB1?

Aug 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (2) throws against the Denver Broncos during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

The biggest storyline of the Saints' offseason was the quarterback decision, with Coach Moore opting for Rattler over rookie Tyler Shough.

Week 1 won't tell the entire story, but it should paint a solid picture for the fanbase on what to expect from Rattler.

The Saints are under a lot of pressure to perform on offense this week, or else the fanbase will begin calling for Shough to start as early as Week 2 or Week 3. While that's unrealistic, the pressure is on to figure out if Rattler was the right option to go with.

Is Kelvin Banks Jr. the real deal at OT?

The Saints opted to select Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. at the top of the first round in the NFL Draft. This pick was under heavy fire earlier in the offseason, but Banks proved to be a very talented offensive lineman during the preseason.

Now he's going to be matched up with starting NFL edge rushers. His job of keeping Rattler upright is going to be one of the most important jobs on the team. The Saints can only succeed if Rattler can succeed. Rattler will only be successful if the offensive line can give him time to throw. Banks will be somebody to watch this week.

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